Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Culinary Schools in New York - You Have Great Options Here

If you are looking for culinary schools in New York you will find that using the internet for your research is an excellent way to get a lot of information quickly. You will find many options for culinary training in Manhattan and the surrounding buroughs. There are large institutes with associate and bachelor degrees, there smaller, more specialized schools and there are community colleges that give a well rounded education at a reasonable price. One thing for sure, there are many schools with many options to choose from. It is important to ask questions of the schools so you know what kind of education you are going to receive.

You can choose between bachelor degrees, associate degrees or just take single classes. Some of these schools have strict admission criteria, so depending on your abilities and past experience some of these schools might not be right for you.

If you aren’t able to attend one of the prestigious schools you can always start at one of the community colleges in the city. There are schools with culinary programs in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Long Island. If you are not completely sure you want to go to culinary school, it would be a good idea to take a couple of classes at one of the community colleges to see if you like it.

In New York there is a great food and cooking tradition and there are many schools to attend to learn this tradition. You just have to do some research to find the one that fits you experience and budget to get started on your culinary career.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Admission Requirements for Culinary Training

Before you apply for admission to culinary training, there are a few things you should be aware of. Some of the better schools require up to six months of previous experience in a commercial kitchen. In general, they have this rule so you know what it is like to work in a commercial kitchen before starting school.

-Here is a list of some of the types of places you can get this type of experience:

-Volunteer at a homeless shelter

-High school culinary program with hands on kitchen experience

-A catering company

-Work in a hotel, hospital, restaurant or any commercial kitchen

Besides the hands on work experience, schools will want a recommendation to evaluate your skill and commitment to culinary training. The reason for this is schools do not want to put time and energy into your education with you not completing the coursework if it becomes too difficult. They want to know you are committed.

Some schools will also have you take a skills test to ensure that you have a basic level of English and math competency as it relates to the culinary industry.

Not every school will have the same requirements, but be prepared that you might need some initial on the job training before acceptance into a good culinary program. Make sure you investigate what the prerequisites are for the school you choose to apply to, you don’t want any bad surprises that will keep you out of school, or delay your acceptance.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Baking and Pastry – Learn This Age Old Profession with Modern Training

If you want to work in the baking and pastry field you will have many options. It’s not just working in a small bakery. You can work for a large catering company, a hotel or even in a commercial production facility. Whether you specialize in a curtain area or learn general skills the field is wide open and there is the right training out there for you.

People have been baking and creating pastries for centuries, it is a proud tradition to join. Although France is the center of this tradition, baking has been flourishing throughout Europe and the rest of the world for ages.

Whether it is doing research and development for large corporations or having your own bakery, there are many paths you can take if you follow this fine profession.
Education and hands on experience are important, even for entry level positions.

Employers generally are looking for someone with culinary training. The reason for this, is they feel the candidate with proper training will save them from providing many hours of training. It is true, baking and pastry schools provide hours of hands on training besides the usual coursework.

While getting a job in your field is important, you need to make this decision with care. You may have to move or take a lower paying job to get the position that will better further your career. Think of your career as steps up a ladder. You want to move up the ladder and not sideways or down the ladder when you choose your next position. Of course sometimes you just need a job, if that is the case keep a lookout for a job that will get you moving in your baking and pastry career.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Culinary Schools in New York - The Best Place to Become a Chef

Looking for the best? Culinary schools in New York City are some of the best cooking schools in the world. If you live in or near the city you will have a great selection of schools to apply to for getting your chef training. If you don't live near New York that doesn't mean you can't get some of the best culinary training in the world.

If you don't live near Manhattan you will have to do some traveling, but it is possible to move to New York to get some of the best and most diverse training in the world. New York City is known for being an expensive place to live, but there are outer boroughs and Jersey City in New Jersey that offer more affordable living than Manhattan. Also, some of the schools have housing options available.

One of the great things about learning to become a chef in New York City is the diversity of cultures in the city. Along with this diversity comes a wide array of international cuisines for you to sample and that are taught.

While New York is home to the French Culinary Institute and the Culinary Institute of America, which both boast an illustrious alumni, there are many other great places to become a chef. Whether you are going to an institute or not, you will be able to find many sources of different style of cooking and cuisines to expand your skill range.

The great thing about New York is once you are finished with your training you can go on and work at great restaurants throughout the city to learn and perfect your craft.

To learn more information about the culinary schools in New York go to http://culinaryschoolnewyorkny.com for more information.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Le Crueset Kettle - Is it the Best Teapot Out There

I received my Le Crueset Kettle about 5 years ago and it is going strong and I love it. I've got a cherry red one or burnt orange. It looks burnt orange to me. Not as burnt orange as the Texas Longhorns colors (my favorite football team) but it's similar.

Anyway, the kettle works great and looks excellent. Some people have a problem with the enamel finish, saying that it chips too easily. It does chip, but it has to be hit pretty hard to actually chip it. Also, the enamel finish is what gives it the great vibrant colors.

When I get a Le Crueset product I consider it a lifetime investment, so the high price doesn't really bother me.